City Council to consider fine for parking lot operators

Almost a week after the primary election, the City Council returns for a meeting Monday night to consider legislation concerning parking lots and hear public comment regarding the city’s law and clerk offices.

The consent calendar is long, and likely to pass in one swoop, but legislation that might not garner discussion Monday is still likely to gain attention, as it affects the increasing number of privately run city lots.

Alderman Joe Budge, D-Ward 1, introduced legislation that will establish a $250 fine for parking lot and place operators who violate city code.This fine piggybacks off legislation Mayor Mike Pantelides introduced that would repeal in entirety a section of the Annapolis code governing parking places and parking lots. The code has holdovers from “horse and buggy days,” Pantelides said, and includes redundancies covered elsewhere.

The mayor had also previously introduced an ordinance that would ban placing wheel boots on cars parked in Annapolis.

The city transportation board, Budge said, “didn’t mind prohibiting wheel boots on public streets, but said that the city should keep its nose out of wheel boots on private property because that’s a contract between two individuals.”

The transportation committee, formed by Budge and Aldermen Kenneth A. Kirby, D-Ward 6, and Ian Pfeiffer, D-Ward 7, instead of repealing the code, devised amendments that would require private parking entities to inform the public what will happen to cars parked over their time limit or illegally.

“Instead of being specific to wheel boots, [the amendments] say that if you’re going to restrain a vehicle on your private lot for any reason or through any means, you’ve gotta tell people in advance what you’re going to do, what it’s going to cost,” Budge said.

The committee and the mayor, when introducing his ordinance, had Unified Parking Partners in mind. The Portland, Maine-based company maintains a number of private lots throughout the city and drew criticism for booting and ticketing practices. Under the amended code, UPP and companies like it would have to post signs detailing how a car will be detained if left behind and a number to call so the car can be released or face the $250 fine. Pantelides, who is supportive of private lots in general, expressed support for the amendment.

The City Council will also hear public comment on legislation that would amend the city charter to include an office of law and an office of the city clerk. Under the amended charter, both would report to the city manager instead of the mayor. The offices do not currently exist in the charter, but do operate as a part of the city government. The legislation, if passed, would codify these offices and change their reporting structures.

Pantelides, who spoke out against this legislation at the Sept. 11 City Council meeting, said it undermines his authority in a system where the mayor already has little power.

Budge, who co-sponsors this bill with six other City Council members, said the proposed legislation dates to discussions during Mayor Joshua Cohen’s administration.

“The office of law is supposed to have a dotted-line relationship to the City Council, but in fact, it doesn’t,” Budge said. “It’s up to the mayor, the way it is right now.”

Budge said the legislation’s sponsors proposed it now because there is no sitting city attorney and the council is in transition, due to the election year.

Other business

As part of a lengthy public hearing schedule, the City Council will hear remarks on a budget amendment for a City Dock restoration project, an ordinance that would clarify the Historic Preservation Commission’s role in approving exterior changes to buildings and the mayor’s resolution to declare Annapolis a hate-free zone. The public can also comment on a resolution to establish a temporary liquor license for theaters.

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